Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[farmerjan]

I have the convertible Midea freezer from Lowes.... It is the biggest upright they make... and am fairly pleased with it. Runs good... The little shelf holders on the inside are not very wide... so real heavy stuff on the shelf causes it to bow a little and they have slipped off the holders on the side.. that is annoying... but I forget that most "NORMAL" people do not put big whole chickens and pounds of beef and other meat, and more pounds of vacuum packed vegs and heavy stuff like that... They are for people who have nice supermarket packages of frozen food.... not the way I stuff things in there.
Looking at another that has wider shelf supports for the next one. I have one that frosts bad and the gaskets supposedly are not available...
Lowes here delivers to front door for nothing. Put it on the Lowes card... 12 months free financing...so a $1000 freezer is less than $100/month.... The ones I have been looking at are $899 in store, on sale... and sale price is good for the 12 month free financing.

 

[Ridgetop]

We used this module to turn small chest freezer into refrigerator for our trailer. It works great. You put thermometer inside freezer and plug it into the outlet. Box monitors the thermometer and turns power to freezer on and off.
https://www.amazon.com/bayite-Tempe...05-a9c9-a643f8eff852&pd_rd_i=B01KMA6EAM&psc=1

Our garage ready freezer in Texas is a GE 21.7 cf freezer. Discussed with DS1 that if the repoairs are more than $900, then we wil buy the exact same one again. We looked at others - the 24.8 cf garage ready Fridgidaire was an option. It has wheels which would make it easily movable in the shed (concrete floor) but has only 2 tiny baskets on the top level. The GE has 6 basket=ys on 2 levals and dividers on the bottom. The Fridigaire is shallower, because of the wheels raising the height, making it easier to reach the bottom. DH and I decided if we want to move the GE we will cut a 3/4" piece of plywood to dimensions, add heavy duty wheels to it, and jp;ace the freezer on top. If it needs air circulation, we can use a hole saw bit on the drill to cut air holes.

DD2 left a small college size fridge here that they did not want. We will see if it works and use it for vet meds. We can put it in the house for most of the meds and keep a small fridge in the barn for stuff we might need to use frequently, or just do what we do now and take everything out when we do vaccinations or worming.

 

[farmerjan]

Got a $50 "college size " refridge in the barn for the cattle meds and vaccines... Have a bigger fridge that died that we use for all the stuff we do not want the da#@ed groundhogs and raccoons and mice getting into... just left it there and put the mini fridge on top.
Except for the new Midea freezer... I have 3 that came from estate sales for $100-$400 each... 2 are going on 20 years at my place....

 

[SageHill]

No, no, no. As much as we need/want you in CA - there is too much stress here with the state of the state. I know you love the grands, but they tend to like to give you the current "bug" whatever that is. TX is for you, you just need to cut the CA cord --- which of course includes the CA medical links. That seems to be the biggest drag back into CA for you. There are great docs in TX, you'll need to find them. When you are in TX you are happy and more relaxed. When you're back in CA .................. well you know!

 

[farmerjan]

Not to be stupid... but what is the difference in a "garage ready freezer" from a "normal freezer" ??????

 

[murphysranch]

@SageHill : you are 100% spot on. Time to cut the cord to CA. Going back and forth for Docs is getting tiring to both of you.

 

[Mini Horses]

Can't possibly save $$ with all those checks ups & dr visits in CA. Bite the bullet -- keep you butt & busted knees in TX.

 

[fuzzi]

Not to be stupid... but what is the difference in a "garage ready freezer" from a "normal freezer" ??????

I'm guessing it can handle hotter outside temps (and colder), being used in a garage or shed.

 

[fuzzi]

Got a $50 "college size " refridge in the barn for the cattle meds and vaccines... Have a bigger fridge that died that we use for all the stuff we do not want the da#@ed groundhogs and raccoons and mice getting into... just left it there and put the mini fridge on top.
Except for the new Midea freezer... I have 3 that came from estate sales for $100-$400 each... 2 are going on 20 years at my place....

That's a good idea, re: using the dorm refrigerator for the meds. I have one stored in our shed, forgot about it.

 

[Ridgetop]

Not to be stupid... but what is the difference in a "garage ready freezer" from a "normal freezer" ??????

"Garage ready" has extra insulation and can handle temps from 0 degrees to 110 degrees. Non garage ready freezers are designed to be kept inside or in easier temperatures. We got a "garage ready" freezer to put down in the milk shed. California sumers can sometimes rech 110 degrees or higher so we opted for that when buying one that was goig to go ourside. Our current garage ready freezer is 21.7 cf GE that got specifically because we knew we were moving t texas nd it would ve in either the shed or for now until we get the electric plugs in the shed, on the patio.

Interesting that you have Midea brand freezers. We were looking at one that can switch from a fridge to an upright freezer. Were not sure about how that brand held up.

Forgot to take my tranquilizers. Went into the bedroom and read for a while. DH came and got me to watch the Word Series. After the wild overtime Dodger win last night we hoped for the best, and then were on tenterhooks in the 9th when the two teams were tied. The Yankees had 3 men on base with only 1 out. Luckily the Dodger relief pitcher struck out two batters and the last hit was a fly! Cheered me up and I don't usually even watch sports (except rodeo). LOL

We will switch our insurance coverage but will have to switch to a PPO which means that instead of 100% no deductible coverage, we will have to pay more for the coverage as well as a deductibleWe have a UCLA HMO plan now. We can still go to UCLA for rechecks on knees and the DH's cataract surgery as long as it is normal follow up appointments. I am just scheduling those appointments for times when we want to come to California.

When it comes to the grandchildren, we don't see DS3's chidren very often, and DD1's children seldom come to see us anymore. We used to see them for a few minutes every day because we watched them after school but they are all in Jr. High and High school and their mother picks them up after school. DS2's children are living with us here but DD2's little girl is an hour and a half away in Texas.

To be honest, I was 14 and 16 years older than my baby brothers and took care of them and the house for several years while my mother worked swing shift. After my first 2 chidren were born I opened my own home daycare and cared for 6 children every day. My last 2 babies were only 18 months apart. i was a preschool teacher for years and a 4-J leader for 18 years. When our youngest boy was a senior in high school, we adopted DD2 and were back raising another child. She is a darling girl now and we love her dearly but at 14 with abandonment issues and sexual abuse in her background she was no picnic. Lots of counselling and health issues. Then DD1 had 3 children and we babysat them for the next 17 years. I love my grandchildren but I am kind of looking forward to having just the 3 of us adults in Texas. For 60 years I have been a mother/babysitter/preschool teacher and I want to retire.

Our ranch with 60 sheep, 2 equines, 4 LGDs and remodeling dthe house will be a walk in the park.